Car-heating apparatus



(No Modem R. G. CHASE.. GAR HEATING APPARATUS.

No. 439,268. YPafaelzlted Oct. 28, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE..

RODNEY G. CHASE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CAR-HEATING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,268, dated October 28, 1890. Application filed May 6, 1389. Serial No. 309,763- (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RODNEY G. CHASE, of the city of Boston, county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Steam-Heating Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention has reference to steam-heating particularly railway-trains; and it consists of certainimprovements, all of which are fully set forth in the following specification, and shown in the accompanying drawings, which form part thereof.

In what is known as the Williames system of steam-heating, set out in Letters Patent No. 256,089, dated April 4, 1882, the steam is caused to ow through the piping by means of a partial vacuum at the tailor return end, created by a pump. By this system I have found in practice I can heat the railway-cars by the exhaust-steam from the compressor for the lVestinghouse air-brakes, the vacuumpump, or locomotive-exhaust and without the necessityof live steam from the boiler, though this latter source may be resorted to, if desired. My invention therefore is an improvement upon the above-specified patent; and my object is to utilize the great advantages resulting from the use of this Well-recognized and highly-efficient system, and at the same time reduce, as far as possible, the size of the vacuum-pumps required by causing a condensation of the steam vapors which exist in the returns at the tail end, converting them into water by means of a cold-water condenser, and then pumping the condensation so produced into the tender-tank or boiler or allowing it to go to waste.

While my invention is particularly applicable to railway-trains, it is to be borne in mind that the apparatus and principles employed are applicable to the heating of buildings, dac.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of arailway-train having my invention applied thereto; and Fig. 2 is a plan view of the piping, pumps, &c.

A is the locomotive.

B is the tender.

C is a passengerl car.

D is a steam-supply pipe extending from the locomotive to the end of the train and connected between the locomotive-tender and cars by suitable disconnectible couplings d. The supply of steam to this pipe may come from the locomotive-exhaust by a pipe E, having a valve e, the exhaust of the Westinghouse air-compressor G by a pipe F, having a valve f, and the exhaust from the vacuumpump H by a pipe I, having a valve t', or either of them. The valves e, f, and enable any sources to be cut off. In place of using exhaust-steam live steam may be supplied to pipe D by pipe S, having a valve T. A mixture of exhaust and live steam may be employed, if desired. The steam may be supplied to the main mospheric pressure, as the vacuum at the tail end induces the circulation and a pressure above the atmosphere is not relied upon.

Extending throughout the train is a returnpipe K, also provided with couplings la, corresponding to the couplings d of pipe D. This pipe K con nects on the tender with a condensing-coil L in the cold-water tank P of the tender, and preferably this coil is made in one plane, so as to lie upon lthe bottom, that it may at all times be under Water, notwithstanding the riso and fall of the water-level in the tank. Any suitable form of condenser may be employed. From the other end of the condenser L the pipe K continues and connects with the suction of the vacuum-pump H, which is preferably located on the locomotive or tender and operated by steam supplied by pipe N. The discharge of the pump H may be to the boiler by a pipe N, or to the tank P on the tender by a pipe O, or to both.

The cars are provided with heating pipes or coils of any suitable construction, receiving supply of steam from main D and delivering to pipe K. The construction shown is the common method and will suffice to illustrate this part of the apparatus embodied in carrying` out my invention.

J J are the two return-coils located on each side of the car, and are connected on parallel at the middle of the car by suitable pipes R, which connect, respectively, with the pipes D and K, as shown, ln the mains K and D, on each side of the pipes R, are arranged valves M M', to be operated on the last car of a train to shut olf the escape or prevent D above or below the atthe infiux of air. As shown, the valves M are closed and M open. It desired, single three-Way valves D may be used in place of each pair ot' valves lll M.

The operation of my invention will now be understood. The pump H being put into operation creates a partial vacuum in the return-pipe K, which vacuum may extend through pipe D. The steam from the exhaustpipes or boiler passes through the pipes D, J, R, and K to the condenser L along with the Water of condensation which has been -produced in the said pipes, and the uncondensed steam existing at a tension below that of the atmosphere is instantly condensed upon being drawn into the con denser L and the Water delivered to the tank P by pipe O, or to the boiler by a pipe N. If the steam Were circulated at a pressure above the atmosphere it would require far more Water to condense it, and as the Water in the tank P is a limited quantity it follows that it is desirable to circulate the steam at a pressure as far belo7V that of the atmosphere as practice will permit. This is particularly so on long runs and in mild Weather. By employing the vacuum principle in circulating steam the Water of condensation is positively drawn through the Practice has shown that this cannot be practically and economically done with a pressure system with usual pressures employed when the contents of the pipes are forced toward the tail by the steam-pressure above the atmosphere.

I do not confine myself to the details of construction here set out, as they maybe 1nodi tied in many Ways Without departing from my invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination of a locomotive and tender having a water-tank, a car having heating pipes or coils, a supply-pipe for steam extending from the locomotive or tender to the heating pipes or coils, a return-pipe extending from the heating pipes or coils on the car to the locomotive or tender, disconnectible couplings between the car and tender in the supply and return pipes, a vacuum-pump connected to the tail end of the return-pipe, and a condensing-coil in said return-pipe and arranged wi thin the Water-tank of the tender.

2. The combination ot` a locomotive and tender having a Water-tank, a car having heating pipes or coils, a supply-pipe for steam extending from the locomotive or tender to the heating pipes or coils, a return-pipe extending from the heating pipes or coils on the carto the locomotive or tender, a vacuumpump connected to the tail end of the returnpipe, and a condensing-coil in said returnpipe and arranged Within the water-tank of the tender, valves to control the flow of steam beyond the car, and disconnectible couplings in the supply and return pipes between the tender and car.

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

RODNEY G. CHASE.

Witnesses:

FRANK M. COPELAND, FRED H. XVILLIAMS. 

